Feature: China's sports equipment supplier rides Olympics wave to global prominence

JINAN, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Along with Team China, numerous Chinese enterprises are shining at the Paris Olympic Games due to their exceptional sports equipment manufacturing. Taishan Sports is one such example.

After 40 years of development, the company has transformed from a small Chinese seller to a leading global equipment supplier for over 10 Olympic events, constantly reaching higher, growing faster and becoming stronger.

The company had a modest beginning. Its founder, Bian Zhiliang, started his business as a street vendor in Laoling City, Shandong Province. In May 1978, at the age of 20, he and his wife earned their first bucket of gold by handcrafting exercise mats for a local school.

The deal brought him 4,900 yuan (686 U.S. dollars), which was a substantial amount of money and equivalent to decades of farming income. Feeling incredibly happy, Bian used the funds to establish a mat factory the following month.

He ambitiously chose the name of the company "Taishan," which literally means "Mount Tai." There is a famous Chinese poem that describes this magnificent landscape: "Once you reach the summit of Mount Tai, all other mountains can be seen at a glance."

With a good business mind, Bian hoped his company would reach the top of the sector. However, he never anticipated that one day, he would have the opportunity to work in Olympic venues.

In the early years since the establishment, he worked tirelessly and fearlessly. To test the quality of products, Bian once jumped barefoot from the three-meter-high roof of his house onto a mat.

With continuous efforts, he developed a patented protective mat for kickboxing training in 1983. Four years later, sports equipment manufactured by Taishan Sports was selected for the national games.

The Taishan Sports products made their international debut in 1989 at a judo championship and gained more visibility at the Asian Games in 1990.

Like many other Chinese enterprises, Taishan Sports used to prioritize cost-effectiveness. However, when it entered the fast lane, the company was unaware of the importance of international rules in global competition.

When some athletes got injured or did not perform well in competitions, they tended to attribute it to the equipment. "We sometimes got malicious accusations, saying that our mats can not meet European standards," said Lin Longjiang, head of Taishan's foreign affairs department.

International sports organizations have stringent standards for competition equipment. To gain access to larger platforms in the world, Taishan Sports had to send its products to recognized overseas laboratories for testing. Bian recalled that the company's judo mats once underwent over 100 tests. The costs of packaging and shipping alone amounted to tens of millions of yuan.

Such challenges have prompted the company to shift its focus from cost competitiveness to innovation competitiveness. The company has intensified its research and development efforts, aiming to enhance equipment performance while ensuring compliance with international rules.

"Before being introduced to the market, our judo mats underwent testing over 100 times at foreign labs, while the gymnastics equipment went through even more extensive tests," Bian said, recalling tough development years. He also led the company to collaborate with several universities on innovation endeavors. In 2008, after years of dedicated R&D efforts, Taishan Sports emerged as the leading equipment supplier for the Beijing Olympic Games.

According to Bian, Taishan Sports equipment witnessed athletes winning 122 gold medals out of the total 302 at the Beijing Games. This achievement has inspired the company to strive for excellence. For instance, while the international standard requires bicycle frames to withstand 100,000 knocks without breaking, Taishan Sports has set its benchmark at 150,000 times.

Taishan Sports now boasts its own laboratory, where it can conduct extensive research on environmental protection, sustainability and cost reduction. It has also obtained patents and established itself as the technical standard for numerous sports equipment.

This year, the company has pioneered the integration of a cutting-edge smart chip, measuring under 10 mm in length, into the judo mats in Paris. Wang Wei, the chief engineer at Taishan's technology center, said that conventional data collection methods relied on wearable devices, which had the potential to impact athletes' performances. The smart chip embedded within the judo mat can help obtain non-intrusive data and connect 5G technology, offering more precise and insightful analyses for training and competitive scenarios.

At the Paris Games, Taishan Sports provided thousands of pieces of equipment for wrestling, cycling, taekwondo, gymnastics, and track and field competitions.

Over the past two decades, "Made in China" has made a lasting impact on the Olympic stage, transitioning from producing mascots and flags to high-quality sports equipment like table tennis balls, bicycles and judo mats. This transition highlights that sustained innovation and a strong focus on quality are crucial factors for the success of Chinese products.

Taishan Sports represents the epitome of China's manufacturing power. But the Chinese company said the Olympic Games was not the only focus. It has expanded its horizons to include public health services, creating a range of innovative products tailored for fitness and well-being, such as body measurement devices and artificial turf designed for various athletic pursuits.

"We aspire for our quality products to deliver tangible benefits to the public," Bian said.